HadElizabeth's opinionbeenalldrawnfromherownfamily, shecouldnothaveformed a verypleasingopinionofconjugalfelicityordomesticcomfort. Herfather, captivatedbyyouthandbeauty, andthatappearanceofgoodhumourwhichyouthandbeautygenerallygive, hadmarried a womanwhoseweakunderstandingandilliberalmindhadveryearlyintheirmarriageputanendtoallrealaffectionforher. Respect, esteem, andconfidencehadvanishedforever; andallhisviewsofdomestichappinesswereoverthrown. ButMr. Bennetwasnotof a dispositiontoseekcomfortforthedisappointmentwhichhisownimprudencehadbroughton, inanyofthosepleasureswhichtoooftenconsoletheunfortunatefortheirfollyortheirvice. Hewasfondofthecountryandofbooks; andfromthesetasteshadarisenhisprincipalenjoyments. Tohiswifehewasverylittleotherwiseindebted, thanasherignoranceandfollyhadcontributedtohisamusement. Thisisnotthesortofhappinesswhich a manwouldingeneralwishtoowetohiswife; butwhereotherpowersofentertainmentarewanting, thetruephilosopherwillderivebenefitfromsuchasaregiven.
1
Elizabeth, however, hadneverbeenblindtotheimproprietyofherfather's behaviouras a husband. Shehadalwaysseenitwithpain; butrespectinghisabilities, andgratefulforhisaffectionatetreatmentofherself, sheendeavouredtoforgetwhatshecouldnotoverlook, andtobanishfromherthoughtsthatcontinualbreachofconjugalobligationanddecorumwhich, inexposinghiswifetothecontemptofherownchildren, wassohighlyreprehensible. Butshehadneverfeltsostronglyasnowthedisadvantageswhichmustattendthechildrenofsounsuitable a marriage, noreverbeensofullyawareoftheevilsarisingfromsoill-judged a directionoftalents; talents, which, rightlyused, mightatleasthavepreservedtherespectabilityofhisdaughters, evenifincapableofenlargingthemindofhiswife.
2
WhenElizabethhadrejoicedoverWickham's departureshefoundlittleothercauseforsatisfactioninthelossoftheregiment. Theirpartiesabroadwerelessvariedthanbefore, andathomeshehad a motherandsisterwhoseconstantrepiningsatthedullnessofeverythingaroundthemthrew a realgloomovertheirdomesticcircle; and, thoughKittymightintimeregainhernaturaldegreeofsense, sincethedisturbersofherbrainwereremoved, herothersister, fromwhosedispositiongreaterevilmightbeapprehended, waslikelytobehardenedinallherfollyandassuranceby a situationofsuchdoubledangeras a watering-placeand a camp. Uponthewhole, therefore, shefound, whathasbeensometimesfoundbefore, thataneventtowhichshehadbeenlookingwithimpatientdesiredidnot, intakingplace, bringallthesatisfactionshehadpromisedherself. Itwasconsequentlynecessarytonamesomeotherperiodforthecommencementofactualfelicity—tohavesomeotherpointonwhichherwishesandhopesmightbefixed, andbyagainenjoyingthepleasureofanticipation, consoleherselfforthepresent, andprepareforanotherdisappointment. HertourtotheLakeswasnowtheobjectofherhappiestthoughts; itwasherbestconsolationforalltheuncomfortablehourswhichthediscontentednessofhermotherandKittymadeinevitable; andcouldshehaveincludedJaneinthescheme, everypartofitwouldhavebeenperfect.
3
"Butitisfortunate," thoughtshe, "that I havesomethingtowishfor. Werethewholearrangementcomplete, mydisappointmentwouldbecertain. Buthere, bycarryingwithmeoneceaselesssourceofregretinmysister's absence, I mayreasonablyhopetohaveallmyexpectationsofpleasurerealised. A schemeofwhicheverypartpromisesdelightcanneverbesuccessful; andgeneraldisappointmentisonlywardedoffbythedefenceofsomelittlepeculiarvexation."
4
WhenLydiawentawayshepromisedtowriteveryoftenandveryminutelytohermotherandKitty; butherletterswerealwayslongexpected, andalwaysveryshort. Thosetohermothercontainedlittleelsethanthattheywerejustreturnedfromthelibrary, wheresuchandsuchofficershadattendedthem, andwhereshehadseensuchbeautifulornamentsasmadeherquitewild; thatshehad a newgown, or a newparasol, whichshewouldhavedescribedmorefully, butwasobligedtoleaveoffin a violenthurry, asMrs. Forstercalledher, andtheyweregoingofftothecamp; andfromhercorrespondencewithhersister, therewasstilllesstobelearnt—forherletterstoKitty, thoughratherlonger, weremuchtoofulloflinesunderthewordstobemadepublic.
5
Afterthefirstfortnightorthreeweeksofherabsence, health, goodhumour, andcheerfulnessbegantoreappearatLongbourn. Everythingwore a happieraspect. Thefamilieswhohadbeenintownforthewintercamebackagain, andsummerfineryandsummerengagementsarose. Mrs. Bennetwasrestoredtoherusualquerulousserenity; and, bythemiddleofJune, KittywassomuchrecoveredastobeabletoenterMerytonwithouttears; aneventofsuchhappypromiseastomakeElizabethhopethatbythefollowingChristmasshemightbesotolerablyreasonableasnottomentionanofficeraboveonce a day, unless, bysomecruelandmaliciousarrangementattheWarOffice, anotherregimentshouldbequarteredinMeryton.
6
Thetimefixedforthebeginningoftheirnortherntourwasnowfastapproaching, and a fortnightonlywaswantingofit, when a letterarrivedfromMrs. Gardiner, whichatoncedelayeditscommencementandcurtaileditsextent. Mr. Gardinerwouldbepreventedbybusinessfromsettingouttill a fortnightlaterinJuly, andmustbeinLondonagainwithin a month, andasthatlefttooshort a periodforthemtogosofar, andseesomuchastheyhadproposed, oratleasttoseeitwiththeleisureandcomforttheyhadbuilton, theywereobligedtogiveuptheLakes, andsubstitute a morecontractedtour, and, accordingtothepresentplan, weretogonofarthernorthwardsthanDerbyshire. Inthatcountytherewasenoughtobeseentooccupythechiefoftheirthreeweeks; andtoMrs. Gardinerithad a peculiarlystrongattraction. Thetownwhereshehadformerlypassedsomeyearsofherlife, andwheretheywerenowtospend a fewdays, wasprobablyasgreatanobjectofhercuriosityasallthecelebratedbeautiesofMatlock, Chatsworth, Dovedale, orthePeak.
WiththementionofDerbyshirethereweremanyideasconnected. ItwasimpossibleforhertoseethewordwithoutthinkingofPemberleyanditsowner. "Butsurely," saidshe, "I mayenterhiscountywithimpunity, androbitof a fewpetrifiedsparswithouthisperceivingme."
TheGardinersstayedonlyonenightatLongbourn, andsetoffthenextmorningwithElizabethinpursuitofnoveltyandamusement. Oneenjoymentwascertain—thatofsuitablenessofcompanions; a suitablenesswhichcomprehendedhealthandtempertobearinconveniences—cheerfulnesstoenhanceeverypleasure—andaffectionandintelligence, whichmightsupplyitamongthemselvesifthereweredisappointmentsabroad.
11
Itisnottheobjectofthisworktogive a descriptionofDerbyshire, norofanyoftheremarkableplacesthroughwhichtheirroutethitherlay; Oxford, Blenheim, Warwick, Kenilworth, Birmingham, etc. aresufficientlyknown. A smallpartofDerbyshireisallthepresentconcern. TothelittletownofLambton, thesceneofMrs. Gardiner's formerresidence, andwhereshehadlatelylearnedsomeacquaintancestillremained, theybenttheirsteps, afterhavingseenalltheprincipalwondersofthecountry; andwithinfivemilesofLambton, ElizabethfoundfromherauntthatPemberleywassituated. Itwasnotintheirdirectroad, normorethan a mileortwooutofit. Intalkingovertheirroutetheeveningbefore, Mrs. Gardinerexpressedaninclinationtoseetheplaceagain. Mr. Gardinerdeclaredhiswillingness, andElizabethwasappliedtoforherapprobation.
12
"Mylove, shouldnotyouliketosee a placeofwhichyouhaveheardsomuch?" saidheraunt; "a place, too, withwhichsomanyofyouracquaintancesareconnected. Wickhampassedallhisyouththere, youknow."
13
Elizabethwasdistressed. ShefeltthatshehadnobusinessatPemberley, andwasobligedtoassume a disinclinationforseeingit. Shemustownthatshewastiredofseeinggreathouses; aftergoingoversomany, shereallyhadnopleasureinfinecarpetsorsatincurtains.
14
Mrs. Gardinerabusedherstupidity. "Ifitweremerely a finehouserichlyfurnished," saidshe, "I shouldnotcareaboutitmyself; butthegroundsaredelightful. Theyhavesomeofthefinestwoodsinthecountry."